Western opened its football season on "CommUniverCity" night. The result, a 31-10 Bronco win over Toledo, left no reason for complaint. I have a couple other complaints, however.
It is practically impossible to park for the game without paying. Western has blocked off all the lots within half a mile of the stadium. To account for the parking shortage, Western set up a shuttle bus from Lawson Arena. However, they also require payment for those lots as well. They even blocked off the Miller ramp and surrounding lots--even though these lots stood almost completely empty. The only purpose for blocking them off was to stop people from getting free parking within a reasonable walking distance of the stadium.
Private property owners are within their rights to charge whatever they want for parking. But Western isn't private. It also has a near-monopoly on parking in the area. Western students pay good money for parking permits ($300 per year at last count). They shouldn't be denied access to what they paid for because Western wants to squeeze a few more bucks out of people.
My other complaint has to do with the students. Normal paying fans will stand up when there's a big play, and then SIT BACK DOWN. Western students, on the other hand, STAY STANDING THE ENTIRE GAME. I don't know about you, but standing in place for an hour at a time isn't my idea of fun. Of course, in the student section, you can't sit down if you want to see anything. The view isn't any better than if everyone sat down. And yet everyone stands. (UPDATE: Ok, it's not Western, it's an odd tradition.) There's a reason I don't sit in the student section anymore.
5 comments:
Just in case you are confused,students stand during all football games, and at all universities and colleges. This is a way to support your team. Go to MSU, U of M, Ohio State, even CMU, and you will find students standing the whole game. This shows how undedicated you are to supporting your team. Suck it up and stand up for a little bit you cry baby.
PS: students don't pay to get in
sorry allan, but you seem to be a bit unfarmiliar with the fans of college football.
be glad that you don't go to texas a&m, where every fan, from the youngest baby to the most ancient alum stands for the entirety of the game. (their are other schools where this is the case, but A&M is most known for it) Their are a couple different stories as to why all the fans stand at A&M - in one, an opposing player was racing up the sidelines for a game-winning touchdown when a fan ran out of the stands and tackled him to save the game. In another, the team was short a player for a game and so one of the fans volunteered to play the game despite not being a student.
in any case, the seats at Waldo aren't really worth sitting in, so you may as well stand for the whole time and shout as loudly as you can
What a crybaby!!! You want to whine because WMU charges LESS THEN MOST ANY D1 SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY for parking? You want to whine because students stand and support their school? Give me a break. You don't want to stand? Quit your whining and sit in the endzones or buy reserved seat tickets. You don't want to pay NEXT TO NOTHING to park? Then park in one of the many neighborhoods surrounding the stadium where you can park for free within walking distence of the stadium.
Has there ever been anyone less out of touch with being a college student at a large Division 1 University than this writer? There is all kinds of street parking available within adequate walking distance to the stadium, I've parked in these areas for 5 years.
Have you ever been to a non professional football game? Most home teams student fans generally stay standing all throughout the game with the exception of halftime. This occurs at most high schools even. If you hate this concept so much, find a seat with the other nascent fans in the endzone.
In closing, quit making the rest of your organization look completley aloof about what it is to be a college student at Western Michigan, today.
You have to be kidding me right? Clearly you don't understand the concept of supporting one's team.
Students stay until end; Broncos take notice
Monday, September 11, 2006
By Graham Couch
When the clock expired on Western Michigan University's 31-10 upset of Toledo on Saturday night, the north side of the field was full of celebrating players, coaches, band members and students.
Yes, students.
WMU suffers from a chronic issue facing many college football programs -- keeping students in the stadium beyond halftime. The lure of campus life, apparently, is just too great.
Since the student section occupies the entire north sideline of Waldo Stadium, those leaving are often more obvious than at other venues.
Saturday, seemingly more so than during any game last year, the students stayed until game's end.
The Broncos took notice.
``It's the best I've ever seen it in my years here as an assistant and as head coach,'' said WMU coach Bill Cubit, who served as offensive coordinator from 1997-99 and took over the program last year. ``The student support was unbelievable. I can't thank them enough. The community support was fabulous, too. They made that stadium one of the toughest places to play.
``I've had guys e-mailing me today, guys that have been around here 30-some years, saying this is the best time they've had at a game in a lot of years.''
Said senior linebacker Ameer Ismail: ``When I came out of the locker room at halftime, it seemed like most people had stuck around. It's very encouraging.''
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